Wolves and Lycans: We Were Wolves

Chapter Four

Vanessa is gone. Dean is nowhere. Mason is probably already with the Imperials. Can life get any worse?

I crawl into bed shortly before daybreak and sob into my pillow. Vanessa's mysterious sickness is painful. And so is the truth about Mason. I hope he loves me enough not to condemn me to the ire of the lycans. But I am probably kidding myself.

I have an argument with mom that morning. When I get into Alicia's car, I'm in a mood. ‘Can we skip school today?’ I groan.

Alicia's eyes are red and mournful. The dark makeup around her eyes is a reflection of her internal atmosphere. ‘We can't, Claire. We already have two warnings. Our attendance is shit.’

I groan louder. I don't want to endure a day of school. The urge is to crawl under my sheets, bury my head in a pillow, and cry myself a river in which to wallow.

Alicia takes a look at me and says, ‘I promise I'm feeling better than you are.’

‘Yeah, no kidding.’ Despite myself, I chuckle at her words.

‘So the ravishing werewolf who stole your heart away is an Imperial spy,’ Alicia nods irritably as she drives.

‘Mason,’ I say, ‘With-no-last-name.’

‘I want a cell that overlooks a shore where I can watch the waves breaking on land every morning.’ Alicia looks serious. ‘Claire, promise me you will bear me witness before the Imperials that I said that.’

‘And I want Mason to serve my bacon and eggs every morning,’ I say.

Alicia can't help laughing. We throw our heads back and laugh ourselves silly in spite of ourselves. ‘Now that's not gonna happen,’ she chuckles.

‘No, it's not,’ I agree with soberness.

‘I just hope Vanessa is fine,’ Alicia says abruptly.

‘Yeah.’

But for a moment there, last night, we had all seen Dean and Olligrander's memories. Once the Whites' minds—made more powerful by age or how ancient they were—grew stronger than their bodies and cracked it, immortal or not, they became lost. Gone.

But I resolve to never lose hope.

The VIP ring is already set up when we arrive. Sebastian is there, in a T-shirt that ripples with his muscles when he moves. I expect very soon that his admirers will be falling at his feet, giving him offerings. He pretends not to see me, but Seamus, his best pal, watches me with a predatory look.

I know something is up.

My mind runs through every prank in the book. I really do not have the patience for this. Everything I care about is waltzing on a precipice. A misstep and it's all over. I'm caught between the Imperials and Mason on one side, and Dean and the scientists with the governments funding them on another.

My skin burns feverishly during Mrs Ashton's History class, so I excuse myself for the bathroom. Worried, anxious, nervous and heartbroken, I hide in the female bathroom, letting out all the tears.

Dean. Vanessa. Mason. Each name is a stab in the heart for its own unique reason.

I splash my head with water from the tap in the washbowl. The water is cold but steam still rises into the air from my skin. I'm momentarily glad there is no one to see.

Someone moves behind me.

I whirl around, fumbling for an explanation, an excuse for whatever they think they saw; but it is only Vanessa White in her red dress and black jacket. She looks no less beautiful or pale than she ordinarily looks. Except for the dark veins still distinct on her skin.